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EA Teaches Students How To Get Into the Video Game Music Industry

Electronic Arts and the GRAMMY Foundation today announced GRAMMY Pro Session: Video Game Music And Sound Design. The GRAMMY Foundation's Pro Session series gives students an insider's view into careers in the music industry.

On Oct. 17 at EA's Los Angeles studio, sixty high school students will inaugurate the first-ever Pro Session focused on game music and sound. Designed to educate and inspire, this Pro Session will bring high school music students closer to a career in interactive entertainment by taking them behind the scenes to learn about the creative process and gain practical experience in music composition and non-linear sound design for videogames.

The Pro Session: Video Game Music And Sound Design curriculum will introduce students to the philosophies and logic of interactive sound design and composition. Using EA's critically acclaimed WWII-inspired action game Medal of Honor European Assault(TM) and the whimsical simulation game The Sims 2 as the backbone of the curriculum, students will compose two minutes of nonlinear music and interactive sound that will be played in an EA game environment. The students will add to their hands-on experience by engaging with EA's award-winning music authors and engineers. While at EA, students will receive advice and constructive feedback on their projects from Neil Young, VP and General Manager of EALA, Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Music Marketing at EA, Erik Kraber, Lead Sound Designer at EA, and special guest Michael Giacchino, whose music composition credits include Medal of Honor, as well as TV shows, "Lost", "Alias" and the motion picture The Incredibles.

The first GRAMMY Pro Session: Video Game Music And Sound Design is open to local L.A.-area schools and GRAMMY Signature Schools. Any student that seeks to participate online can find more information at (www.grammyintheschools.com) by selecting the Pro Sessions link.

Over the course of the year, additional Pro Sessions will be held in Orlando, Fla., Vancouver, B.C., San Francisco and Chicago.

"We are delighted to team up with EA as a leader in interactive entertainment to provide students with the tools and instruction to create video game music and sound design," said Neil Portnow, Recording Academy and GRAMMY Foundation President. "With a variety of career choices in the music business, we are committed to exposing students to every available opportunity in order to help them achieve their professional dreams."

Recently named Vice Chairman of the GRAMMY Foundation, Schnur noted, "This is a great moment in the evolution of music and entertainment education. We are honored to be partnering with the GRAMMY Foundation and to be the first interactive entertainment company that opens its doors to music students nationwide. We hope that the Pro Session will help inspire some of today's young adults to consider a musical career in interactive entertainment."

"This effort further extends EA's Education Initiative -- whether it's art, math, computer science, storytelling, or music, we want to inspire kids to excel at school so they achieve their dream of growing up and creating great games," said Steve Seabolt, VP, University and Marketing Education at EA. "We couldn't imagine a better partner than the GRAMMY Foundation. Their stellar reputation for providing students with music industry opportunities and interactive learning experiences is recognized the world over."